There may be a wait before you can speak with someone, perhaps as long as 20 minutes if you call during the busiest times. Your wait will likely be shortest if you call in the late morning or early afternoon and in the middle of the week.

The first person you will speak with will be a paralegal who will ask you for basic information such as your full name, your date of birth, zip code, and the opposing party's name. This information is necessary for us to determine whether there is any reason we cannot help you because, for instance, we have already assisted your opposing party on a similar matter.

Next, the paralegal will ask for your address, telephone numbers where you can be reached, and information about your household's income. your household includes everyone living with you. Household income includes what every member of your household receives in a typical month.

One you provide this information, the paralegal will ask about your legal problem. Based upon all the information you give us, the paralegal may tell you that we cannot assist you with your problem because your income is too high or because we do not provide help with the type of problem you have. The paralegal might give you a referral to another organization or mail one of our self-help brochures to you. Some problems can be resolved over the telephone. Eligible clients with more complex legal matters are referred to a staff attorney or paralegal for further assistance and/or representation.

Our paralegals may need to consult with an attorney and may need to call you back. We only accept applications over the phone, during outreach or online.